The Joplin Memorial Run is a run I plan to do every year... at least as long as I am able.
Compared to the previous year, I would say I was half ready for this race. I wasn't training for it. Actually I signed up last minute on an emotional whim. Looking back, I have no regrets. I needed to do this race for myself. Last year, I had a full support team with me, both at the race and with me through messages, and I had been training for months. This year I was not training at all. A few runs here and there, but not all the effort I put into the previous year.
So what was the difference this year? It looked like, from the outside, I had everything I needed to make the race a great one. And please don't misinterpret what I am saying. It was great race. The one I will remember because it was my first one and I was surrounded by support. The difference was me. Last year, I had a ton of people around me and they were all telling me I was able to do it. But I didn't believe it.
This year, I felt the need to prove to myself I could do it. I could take the trip myself. Stay in the hotel myself. Go to the race myself. And complete the race myself. I needed to do it for me. So I wasn't prepared physically. In fact, it was the hardest race I've done yet. I wanted to give up on mile 2.... with 11.1 more to go. Mentally I was ready for it leading up to the race. The drive to Joplin was full of up beat songs blasting over my new (to me) car speakers. I went to the expo to pick up my packet, still doing great, I was excited. I got dinner, and checked into the hotel. And that is when it hit me. I didn't want to do it anymore. It was 7pm and I was in a hotel by myself. My head began telling me that I should just go to bed and not set an alarm. I didn't need to do the race. I wasn't ready for it. Instead, I could just sleep in, wake up and drive back to Springfield.
But for once I decided not to let the voices in my head win. I went to bed and woke up determined to finish. It was hard. I finished in more time than I had previously taken. But I FINISHED! At that point, it was an accomplishment for me. My third half marathon was done.
Runner's Expo Swag
I did not want to do it, but trying to smile anyway. 4am wake up!
The starting line. The 161 balloons represent the lives lost in the Joplin EF-5 Tornado that went through a few years ago.
The yellow banners are lined up along the first mile of the race. There are 161 banners, each with a name of someone who died in the tornado. It is also the last mile of the race. It's a great reminder of the purpose for the race.
Run. Remember. Rebuild.
Finished!!!! 13.1
I'm glad I did it. It was rough. But I finished!
Yay!!!
